Topic – Why Paul Parker moved back to Australia from the States?

This Blog is interactive. I encourage your comments and questions. So please join the Blog and respond.

Introduction:

The personal:

I moved to Los Angeles, in the States on September 1^st 2000. I left and returned to Australia in July of 2011.

Like many other Australian actors, I moved to the States hopeful of a career in Hollywood. I returned a successful acting teacher. During the near eleven years of living in the States, I won a joint award on stage as an actor with Robey Theatre Company, appeared in television pilots and a few short films and on Young and the Restless on CBS TV.

I joined the SAG and AFTRA unions and not long after I arrived, (to accept a SAG voucher to help me get into the SAG Union) – I did a featured role in the MGM film Windtalkers with Nicholas Cage. It was ironic and wonderful in one sense that I was on a major motion picture and working alongside Frances O’Connor; whom I helped direct when I worked on Lady Windermere’s Fan at Melbourne Theatre Company in 1995.

Yes that’s me, in a few shots, in the hospital, at the start of the movie Windtalkers! I later wrote to the SAG President Melissa Gilbert, who checked out my resume from Australia and then invited me to join SAG.

I attended five Academy Awards and two Golden Globes while living in the States. I was a voting member of BAFTA – the British Academy Awards for eleven years. I drove a 350 E Mercedez Benz with the number plates AIDA – LA. I lived in Hollywood with a view of the Hollywood sign out of my lounge room window, and I worked with some awesome fellow Aussie teachers. I also met many, many amazing people. I had five other people helping me live my life; by cooking for me, washing my car, running errands and doing administration and marketing for my school.

Right and above. 2011 Oscars. 2007 Oscars.

2006 Academy Awards (I think).

For most of the school’s years I was a single man. I would listen to my AFL football team called Collingwood www.collingwoodfc.com.au play AFL footy during the night. I would bounce and kick the football up and down my street in Hollywood from 1 – 5 am – drinking Jack Daniels or a Polish beer called Zywiec. Most of the time I would do this by myself! If I was lucky I would get some Victoria Bitter beer and a Four N Twenty meat pie.

The school:

Most importantly, I opened and ran an acting school for nine years and one month in Los Angeles. After a few years in the Complex Theatres, the school ended up in its own loft / theatre at 6444 Santa Monica Blvd, Hollywood 90038. I also ran an acting school for nearly six and a half years at Champion Studios at 257 W 39^th Street, 14^th Floor, NY, NY 10018. As I was building a school in four major cities, I also taught in Chicago and San Francisco.

The school was initially called ATAS – Acting To Achieve School and then soon later, AIDA – Australian Institute of Dramatic Arts. www.aidaacting.com The school became accredited and had international students attending. It had an Australian curriculum that I wrote and actors won awards in film and theatre under my and my staff’s tutelage.

I am proud to say that I have booked hundreds of actors onto major film, television, theatre and commercials in the States. AIDA had four Showcases. I.e. our 2009 Showcase group performed in Los Angeles, San Francisco and off Broadway in New York.

I also produced eleven Comedy Review shows in Los Angeles and AIDA also had a few Open Day performances too. We also had an annual party. Below is a picture taken of the Sunset Strip with the sign in the background reading “AIDA’s 4^th Anniversary party” that was at The Viper Room in Los Angeles in 2006. Other photos are from a party on Hollywood Boulevard – over two thousand people attended that night in 2007 in the 90038 postcode district.

Business people, professional sports players and presenters and models would also come to AIDA for tuition in the States. For example: business people like Cassandra Bates from the company ARF in Manhattan New York http://www.thearf.org/ , sports players like Karnell Matthews, presenters Susan Silvestri and actor / presenter Sonja Fisher to name just a few.

I worked really hard. I basically had very little life outside of running the school. For some monthly periods I would teach in New York, Monday & Tuesday nights and then fly to Los Angeles. I would sleep in the afternoon, then teach in Los Angeles on Wednesday & Thursday nights, then fly back to Manhattan on Friday. I would then do the same thing the following week. I did similar things when I flew from New York into Chicago to teach.

I cared so much about my students that I would make myself available to talk to them anytime. I worked like a dog! With living in the USA, I ended up a high profile acting coach with status!

Health issue! I left all that behind. Slightly shifting focus.

On February 7^th, 2009 my world changed. My mentor of nearly thirty years, actor Reg Evans
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0263149/?ref_=fn_nm_nm_1 died in the Black Saturday bush fires with his lovely partner and painter Angela Brunton. On this day, I called Reg’s number over and over again from Los Angeles, listening to his voicemail. I called the St. Andrews pub and they told me that Reg and Angela had gone.

Not long after that my brother Colin called me from Australia to tell me that he was terminal with esophagus cancer. Then not long after that I was diagnosed with bowel cancer. I flew home to Australia and had part of my large intestine removed in 2010. Colin and one of my best friends Bev Matthews nursed me back to health. Colin died in 2010. I was very home sick.

In recovery from cancer, I flew back to America via China. Already pre-arranged, I taught acting at two Universities in Beijing and Hainan in China and I said to myself “I will give myself a year. If I am still homesick, I will return to Australia”.

That year was difficult for me. All I wanted to do was return home. I eventually decided that I would go home no matter what privileged life I was now living in the States. I sold everything. I can remember having a garage sale on the local street in Hollywood. Students would come by and say “please don’t leave!”. But I had to go.

Why did I move back to Australia from the States?

While in the States, I would day dream of having my own home on some land in the bush with sheep, chooks, ducks and pigeons and with kangaroos living all around. I also wanted an Asian wife and a baby. I have that dream now!

I realized that I was giving too much of myself to my students. I had given up acting in 2003 and focused solely on them and the growth of my school. My ego was saying “I was the only Australian acting school in the States”. “I was a pioneer in Australian acting training in the USA”; which was true!

For example; Apart from Ros Gentle, who worked for me, when I arrived in the States there were no other Australian acting teachers. Eventually I realized that I had to go to America to become someone different, to receive validation of my intellect, my creativity, my curriculum and my talent. I had to go to America to realize that I was a much better teacher than I was as an actor. For example, as an actor I suffered anxiety at a profound level. As a teacher I did not.

What now? Why tell this story?

With a gorgeous Asian wife and a healthy 7 month old child, a small farm, an office in Melbourne and most importantly, good health, I am back giving through my teaching! I am back doing what I love and I am so busy!

You can follow me:

• on Linkedin under Paul Parker
• On Facebook under “aida actin”. (I am currently honoring past students and their successes on this page)
• Or joining my mailing list at paulparkerpc.com.au

Melbourne! My son Charlie. Stewart the sheep – on my farm.

After renovating the farm over the past few years, hopefully now, I can finish and release the acting book that I have been working on for years called – “Acting the Australian Way!” By telling this story, perhaps you too may feel like a change of focus in life? Please take care of your health and please have organ checks for cancer regularly.

Paul Parker

2015. Copyright. Paul Parker – March 2015.

No part of this Blog can be printed or reproduced and used without consulting the author first.

Paul Parker (B.Ed)

Acting and Presenter Coach

paul@paulparkerpc.com.au
www.paulparkerpc.com.au

A FEW CELEBRITY PICS

With Kym Wilson With Sissy Spacek at Elton John’s party. With Cate Blanchett at Oscars. With Eric Bana at Australians in Film.

With Hugh Jackman with Steve Irwin

HOLLYWOOD PERFORMANCE COACH ASSISTING BUSINESS PEOPLE

Topic – On Camera Presentation training

This blog’s target audience:
CEO’s, General Managers, Business Managers, Politicians, Teachers, Barristers, Television Presenters and Sports Players who want to improve their skills when appearing on television or in radio interviews.

Introduction

Are you a CEO or a Head of Department who has to do some media? It could be on television? It could be on radio? Does your family and friends get non-productive comments about how you were on television or radio? They could have said to you one of the following things:

• Saw you on TV! You looked a bit like a gangster!
• You looked bored!
• It looked like you didn’t know where to look!
• Did you know where the camera was?
• You looked and sounded different!

Are you a Sports Manager who works hard to get your client (a sports player) onto a sports television show, and when you do, they look like a deer staring into a car’s headlights?

Are you a TV Presenter who notices that you have little screen time? Or you are continually in the full length or 3/4 camera shot? You never seem to be in the close up shot? Perhaps you didn’t last long in the job because the Producers didn’t like what you were doing on set? You weren’t popular? You lacked personality? You looked wooden?

Are you a Politician or a Barrister trying to make a strong impression in your interviews but you can’t control how your body is manifesting its nerves and producing large and/or repetitive gestures? You want to be liked when you are being interviewed on television, but are you? You are not sure.

Nobody wants to lose their job or confuse or alienate their audience because of poor media presentation. Knowing how to work in front of the camera and in radio interviews can help you take advantage of the media coverage work that you get, as it presents your public appearances in a positive way.

Combining and discussing the professional job occupation duties of CEO’s, general managers, presenters, politicians, teachers, barristers and sports players is relevant in this blog to help discuss how people in these occupations can all benefit from on camera presentation training.

I will be frank and provocative in this BLOG, but my heart is in the right place. As always, I want to educate. To coach. To empower.

Some important information

People present well in front of the camera due to their training and/or their experiences of being in front of the camera. Learning technique and skills so that you know how to present in front of the camera is vital if you want to make a strong impact and if you want longevity in the media world. On television, ultimately, audience feedback and the producers will weed you out of work if you are not good, not popular, not making sense or if you are struggling with what you are doing.

Struggling with what you are doing could be because of one of the following:

• not knowing how to control your nerves
• not knowing how to speak clearly or logically
• not knowing how you can ensure your personality shines through
• not knowing where to look when on camera
• not knowing how best to present in front of the camera
• not knowing how to perform in the different camera shots

I am writing this Blog because generally speaking, many businessmen or women in high profile positions, barristers, sports players, politicians and even some employed presenters, could do with some on camera presentation training. This is often called media training in Australia.

When speaking to one particular organization that i have in mind about this topic, the CEO’s assistant said, “We have a media department in-house. They train Mr. …….. with this stuff!” So I watched the CEO again on television.  Many months later, the CEO is still making the same mistakes in front of the camera. “Who’s training him?” I asked myself.  No one is often the answer.

Generally speaking, from my knowledge and experiences: media departments of high profile companies in Australia, including some sports companies and sporting clubs, are mainly assisting their clients going into television or radio interviews with the following:

• What to say
• What best to not talk about
• How best to divert away from questions or topics that they don’t want the person to answer

This type of training has correlations with language media training that is used with politicians. In short, the verbal discourse.

In sport, a lot of the people working in the media departments of these large companies in Australia often come from a journalistic background. Some of them worked as writers for newspapers. Language and phrases they know well and adhere to include: media landscape, news cycles and 24 hour news cycles. But, do they know how to train someone for the camera? Do they know how to train the verbal and non-verbal communication of a person that is in front of the camera?

What is the verbal and non-verbal communication? 

I would like to answer the above question while talking through some scenarios.

1. An example of non-verbal communication is the CEO who works for a national company and his interviews are seen on many television shows and worldwide on the web. He is continually shot by cameras making it look like he has four chins. Now he may have a double chin, but unless he speaks to the on-set director about his chair positioning, the heights of the cameras that shoot him, and how best to hold his head, he will continue to look as though he has four chins whenever he is on television.
2. An example of verbal and non-verbal communication is in the telling of a story of when I was at a business function recently and the Business Manager of a company said he had appeared on television but many of his colleagues made comments such as

•  You looked really nervous on camera
•  You ummed and Ahhd a lot when talking
• You didn’t show your personality
• You couldn’t stop fidgeting. It looked like you wanted to go to the toilet

This Manager felt that he had done quite well in his television interview. After watching the footage, not only did I feel his colleagues were right, but I could see other things that he was not doing well or could have done much better. For example, the Manager did not know how to communicate well with his body or with his voice because he was so nervous.

3. Another example of verbal and non-verbal communication is the successful sports player who gets a Manager and appears as a panelist on television show or in a television or radio interview every six weeks or so. He looks and sounds a bit like a deer caught looking into a car’s headlights. Audiences marvel at him on the field but generally feel uncomfortable when seeing them as a guest on a sport’s program. The player, his Manager and indeed the television studios, are all concerned that the general public might be seeing one or more of the following:

• His/ her inability to allow their personality to shine through on camera
• His / her inability to know where to look when in a television studio
• His / her inability to know when the camera is on them
• His / her inability to express themselves
• His/ her constantly uttering cliché responses
• His / her fidgetiness
• His / her bad habits
• His / her lisp that they have tried to hide for many years
• His / her repetitious utterances
• His / her constant swiveling of a pen trying to make themselves look smart

In support of this I am going to do some lateral thinking to make three points:

1. AFL Footy show in Melbourne, Australia.

Have you noticed that television producers skillfully place poor presenters on a television segment alongside presenters who do very well? Channel 9’s AFL-The Footy Show in Melbourne, often put the most out-going, gregarious, ex-footballer regulars, (think charismatic Sam Newman) or semi-regulars, (think Bill Brownless) alongside inexperienced, current footballers on the same show.

This is an art and a skill that Channel 9 Melbourne’s AFL-The Footy Show do extremely well. They do this so they can have the popular sports player on the program, but also divert attention away from them if they present poorly on the panel, (as we all know many of them do present poorly); all the while still maintaining the shows’ entertainment level.

But, why do the footballers all have to swivel pens you might ask? The most likely answer is because they are very nervous and don’t know what to do with their hands. The Channel 9 producers might tell you that it is because they have written down some intelligent answers with those pens! Of course, some have.

The point here is – a lot of people are nervous when in front of the camera and don’t know what to do.

2. Sir Michael Gambon. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002091/?ref_=fn_nm_nm_1

Sir Michael Gambon is a classically trained theatre actor who was knighted by the Queen of England for his work as an actor. I saw him on stage in the role of the caretaker in Harold Pinter’s play The Caretaker in the West End of London and I have never seen a better performance on stage in my life.

But it took many years and many supporting roles before Sir Michael started to appear regularly in USA and British films. Even now he is mostly known for his over-the-top character Dumbeldore in the Harry Potter movies. Why is that so?  If you watch his earlier work in such films as The Life Aquatic, Gosford Park & The Layer Cake, you can see his performances are too big for the camera. His performances are too theatrical. This majestic actor has had to learn, like thousands of other actors, how to adapt his acting for the screen and for the camera.

The point here is – there are skills to learn when working in front of the camera.

3. Lindy Chamberlain.

In Australian history, Lindy Chamberlain was trialed and put in prison. History tells us that she was innocent and released years later when a baby’s jump suit was found buried with dingo marks on it.

The common talk amongst Australians at the time was that she was trialed by the media and the public in general. Everyone watched her on television, night after night, as she walked in and out of the court rooms. Nearly every person that I spoke to around this time said, “She looks guilty”. Nearly every person that I spoke to also said that most of the newspaper and TV stations either said or implied this too.

During the trial, for the most part, Lindy Chamberlain ignored the cameras. When she did do interviews, she was quiet and obviously frightened by the cameras and the media attention.

The point here is, as tacky a simile as this might read, (and I don’t mean it to be), if Lindy Chamberlain had known how to conduct herself well in front of the cameras during her trial period, the final verdict at the time may well have been different.

I am bringing up these case studies and making some lateral thinking points for these reasons:

Not to ridicule people who get in front of the camera and do interviews or go on panel shows or work as television presenters. But simply to say, that there is help there for people in these occupations and positions.

In American business, the presentation of one’s self on television, on radio and in videos on the internet is seen as very important. In Australia we are just starting to get better at this. As presentation and communication is paramount worldwide nowadays, why wouldn’t you want to put your best foot forward? Your career, your future and the way people think about you, could all hinge on how well you come across in front of the camera. Amazing, but true! Learning on camera presentation techniques is the key to improved work and success.

How I can help?

Breaking down work you have done in the past, drawing your attention to what successful people do well and how they do it, then learning to implement new skills, is a good place to start. A good on camera skills teacher can benefit you in many ways as they assist you with exercises and activities to broaden your skills.

This BLOG contains the following on-camera questions and pointers to help you:

1. Body awareness – Your head positioning and your head and body stillness are very important when working in front of the camera. Do you tilt your head up or down? Are you someone who always looks at the floor during your thinking time? Can you keep your head still when talking?

2. Vocabulary – You can always improve your vocabulary. Do you know how?

3. Nerves – Do you know how to help yourself overcome nervousness?

4. Personality type – What is your personality type? How can you ensure your personality comes across well when on TV?

5. The cameras – How do you work with a camera for your benefit? How do you multi-cam work with your head and eyes? How can you utilize the different shots? (I.e. full length, ¾, mid shot, close up, extreme close up).

6. Voice – How can you improve the speech, diction, articulation and flavour of your voice!

What people on television in Australia do I like?

Television presenters introduce a topic and then, in many shows, the show goes to the topic and the show’s footage. If they are sitting behind a desk, they generally get more screen time. Why do some presenters stay on television for many years you might ask? Think Graham Kennedy, Denise Drysdale, Andrew Daddo, Sam Newman, Adam Hills.

Generally speaking it is because they have learnt how to work the cameras! They’ve learnt how to present themselves very cleverly, and to their advantage, in the studio and in front of the cameras. Audience popularity and work longevity is the reward for their smartness and their skills.

Some Australian sports players, presenters and journalists who I think does a great job include:

Presenters: Hamish McLachlan, Eddie McGuire and Gerard Whateley. These presenters are all calm, articulate, know how to use their heads and bodies and work the multi-cam of the cameras very well.

Ex sports players, now presenters: Dermott Brereton, Sam Newman and Bill Brownless: all terrific ex-footballers working with skill in front of the cameras as regular panel guests.

Journalist and presenter: Mark Robinson. Robbo’s skill is particularly in verbal communication. Robbo lifts the tempo and volume of his utterances up, the longer he talks. He incites action, creates drama and calls people to listen and be accountable to what he is saying. A terrific skill!

Ex-sports player now DJ on radio: David Schwartz is terrific on SEN sports radio station. Gifted with a naturally deep voice, you would think this ex-footballer was trained theatrically or as a disc jockey.

Education and growth for you

Education and growth is good for the brain. I encourage everyone, (myself included), to continue to learn and improve their skills. Every day is a school day!

The pointers in this BLOG are just a few that I teach and have taught for many years. I teach my students what is called the “Ten Categories of Growth”. They are a series of practical classes on how to improve skills when in front of the camera or in a radio interview. I have taught these classes in the USA, Japan and Australia.

Thank you for reading this Blog. Feel free to forward it. This Blog is interactive. I encourage your comments and questions, so please join in and respond.

2015 Copyright. Paul Parker – Revised August 2015. First written in February 2014.
No part of this Blog can be printed or reproduced and used without consulting the author first.

Paul Parker (B. Ed)
Business Presentation, Acting and Presenters’ Coach

paul@paulparkerpc.com.au
www.paulparkerpc.com.au

The writer

Paul Parker has trained many business people with their presentations to help them when on television, in television interviews, on radio and with their video logs on websites in Australia, Japan and in the USA. This BLOG is particularly about On Camera work. But Paul works as a Business Presentation and Acting and Voice Coach too. This includes training people who present in work forums, class rooms, conferences, staff meetings and court rooms.

To date in 2015, Paul has taught Business Presentation at RMIT University, Business presentation to CEO’S, teachers, heads of department in both Australia and Japan.

In the recent past Paul has taught the following:

In Australia: AFL Footballer Stewart Crameri. After training with Paul for 2 months, Stewart Crameri appeared on “Channel 7’s – Game Day”. In an, on the ground, Channel 7 Sport interview. On Fox Footy on Foxtel & in a video interview on the A.F.L.website www.afl.com.au Email Paul if you wish to see a video of Stewart Crameri in training with Paul?

In the USA: Paul coached ex USA footballer Karnell Matthews and helped him book television, television commercial and film roles. Paul also worked on his voice and Karnell now has a professional singing career.

In Japan: Paul taught business presentation (including on camera) skills to Japanese business people in 2015 (& 2013) in Tokyo.

Here are a few quotes on Paul’s work in this area:

Australia
“I have had the privilege to experience nine classes over two months of working with Paul Parker. I employed Paul and he worked with me on my interviewee and presentation skills for media, in particular, for my television show appearances. Paul’s knowledge in this area was huge. He began by tapping into the analysis of my work done to date and then he formed topics in which we would tackle together. Paul got to know me very well and very quickly, he was always a few steps ahead in what to teach me, that is, look and sound good on camera in television interviews.

Paul’s work on camera, working on the verbal and non – verbal communication was profound. He uses and teaches what he calls “The Ten Categories of Growth” for presenters and people being interviewed. When I watched my final versions of the scenes we had been working on – on camera, I could see vast improvement and how professional I was looking and sounding. Paul contacted me out of class time and encouraged me and checked up on me regarding my homework between classes. As a teacher to work with, I cannot rate Paul Parker higher”.
Stewart Crameri – current AFL footballer

“Paul transformed 100 entrepreneurship students into stage presenters who pitched opportunities to investors and industry. His focus on technique radically shifted confidence and communication, instantly, which directly resulted in powerful, engaging and compelling performances. A sensational and invaluable experience that is fundamental to high growth entrepreneurship.”
Lauren Rielly – Applied Entrepreneurship Lecturer and Course Coordinator, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia

“They reckon one guy who found his true divinity could walk on water. Well, Paul Parker Performance Coaching taught me to walk on words. Paul combines physiology, psychology and technique to make anyone look good both on and off camera. 

After 30 years working in education, the media and government I was confident in public speaking but had no idea how to present myself on-camera. Even more importantly, Paul has had not only a huge impact on my professional presentation skills but also a dramatic affect on my own health by improving my breath, relaxation, pitch, tone, presence and vocal strength.  My work with Paul has given me confidence to produce a series of videologs for my business Kreative Konnections.”
Vincent Ryan – Founder CEO and Director Strategy and Communications, Kreative Konnections www.kreativekonnectons.com

USA

“I highly recommend Paul Parker to assist and coach you in achieving excellent presentation skills for you in your business. Paul is an amazing teacher and coach. I worked with Paul for about 3 years. He is very patient and gives personal attention to each of his students. He genuinely cares for you as a person and wants you to excel and achieve all of your dreams.

Since working with Paul, I have become more confident and have had vast improvement with my breathing and my voice delivery. I have also become more relaxed on camera as Paul pointed out the mannerisms and things on camera that didn’t show well and now I am much more aware of these things and have corrected them which has improved my performance.

At work, my sales presentations have greatly improved using his techniques. To achieve excellence in speaking, Paul Parker is the best coach you could have. His techniques have definitely done wonderful things for me”.
Dr. Sonja Fisher. Practice Architect, Trace3. Los Angeles, CA. USA.

“Paul Parker assisted my transition from American Football into professional acting and presenting by bridging the gap of understanding. Understanding the fundamentals of on-camera training is critical in forging the careers actors and presenters aspire to. Finding the truth in the eyes, the simplicity of real thought and an honest reaction to what is heard are the principles that Paul allows you to discover, in your own time. I recommend, as an athlete looking for a voice beyond the jersey, that you can commit to a craft that can be understood through what Paul Parker teaches”.
Karnell Matthews www.karnellmatthews.com

“Karnell Matthews, a former University of Nebraska-Lincoln Cornhusker, transferred his consistency on the football field to organizing his acting career. Since moving to L.A. six years ago, he’s booked leading roles in the independent films Death Cab for Cutie, Voyeur, and Blind. He also has extensive training with highlights including ……….. one year, with the Australian Institute of Dramatic Arts”. www.aidaacting.com
Backstage West Newspaper, Los Angeles CA, USA. November 5th, 2006.

“Paul Parker is a very capable teacher who can instill confidence and skills in those wishing to become more efficient and effective presenters. He helps speakers improve the manner in which their audiences view them as being both qualified and well focused. By providing useful insights from his years of training actors, Paul can transform the challenge of having to give presentations into enjoyable opportunities for helping others to learn. I highly recommend Paul as a coach for aspiring presenters”.
Dr. John Martin. Medical Director, MI Hope Inc. Los Angeles, CA. USA

Japan

“Thank you for splendid workshop! Indeed you are an excellent teacher. My students really honor and love you. You got connection to everyone and build their potentials up. Many Japanese are embarrassed to be praised. Because it is rare in Japan. So they tend to suppress their real emotion. You released their emotion and taught natural acting. In business class students were impressed that the idea of creative approach and breath & voice work. Thank you very much”.
Shinji Betcheku. CEO. Ascend Feather. Tokyo, Japan.

Paul Parker’s website is at: www.paulparkerpc.com.au

TOPIC – TECHNIQUE

Introduction:
In reference to having an audition or attending an acting class – does this following scenario sound like something you might do?

You go to an audition or you go to an acting class: you look at the script, you tried your best to learn the lines, but that is all the preparation that you do. You do not do any technique work on the script or the scene?

When the audition or the performance in class is in finished, you have no idea how you went! You feel vulnerable because you “winged it”. (Winging it gives you a 50 % chance of doing well). Perhaps other people tell you that you did well, so you think and / or say “I nailed it!” However, you are unsure of how you went and as a consequence your work is hit or miss. Is this you? Or is this your acting approach sometimes?

Finally, if you get the job, or get another opportunity in class and get direction saying, “Do it again” and the director or teacher says, “Do it exactly the same way as you just did”. Can you? What if you are on a film set and you have to do many takes and do it the same each time; can you? Can you cry on cue at the same place in the script for twenty to thirty takes?

This blog’s target audience:
Is for all actors! At any stage of their careers.

Quick background:
Hearing “I winged it” or “I nailed it!” were common utterances that I heard in my nearly eleven years of living amongst actors in the entertainment industry in the USA. These were utterances that I told my students not to say and not to personify. Why? Because I taught my students techniques – five of them! I also taught the actor to be open and creative and to explore the process. In this sense, they were not “nailing it” because they were not in control of their work the whole way through. Nailing it also implies that you have sat on your shoulder and watched yourself nail it. Which means, you were most likely not in the moment and not creatively exploring!

What is the point that I am alluding to:
Technique is the answer for the actor. Actors should learn techniques. Techniques that they can draw on when and where necessary. Actors should learn many techniques and then find out which ones work best for them.

Why am I writing this BLOG?
Because many actors do not learn techniques! Also, many actors do not take the time to create backstory to their character and to their scene. Many actors do not put a technique onto their work. In this sense, they are like an unqualified dentist holding a drill for the first time and trying to do a filling in a patients’ mouth. Yes, I feel that strongly about it.

Here are a few obvious pointers:
Actors should always create a backstory to scene and character
Actors should play with subtext to help them explore during the scene
Actors should develop all round training skills and techniques
Actors should refresh their skills and techniques
Actors should always do a warm up prior to performing

A technique:
Learn a few techniques and then decide which ones work best for you. I teach five: Australian – a technique that I devised based on my learning’s and from my tutors in the entertainment Industry; dating back professionally to 1977. German – Brecht. Polish – Grotowski. Russian – Stanislavski and Hungarian – Laban.

What is technique?
It is a foundation. It is a way of looking at the script or the scene and implementing a format to follow. A format to help you get connected with the scene and the character and with what is going on and what is going to happen.

Repetition. Repetition. Repetition:
Repetition is an important part of being an actor. The ability to repeat the same thing is an important skill for the actor to have.

Yul Brenner played the King in “The King and I” on Broadway for years. That is, eight shows a week for probably forty five to forty six weeks in a year; for years. http://www.broadwaymusicalhome.com/shows/kingandi.htm

In addition I have been on film sets where I’ve had to re-do the same acting scene, over and over, take after take, due to direction, or the weather, or a lighting problem, or for some other technical reason.

This is where repetition comes in. I encourage you to build on what you have learnt the first time. Be diligent. In support of this, repetition is the best way possible to learn to implement new things that you have been taught and to build your confidence and to practice your skills on some things that you already know! Repetition helps us practice our techniques.
One is not an expert the first time they learn how to pull a car engine apart are they?

Technique and being creative:
How can we do technique and preparation work and still have the freedom and spontaneity and openness and creativity in our work?

Well to begin with, this is why acting is hard! I never tell actors it is easy. Especially at the highest level! Actors must find the balance between the two – having technique and being open and exploring. So that when you see a close up on Hugh Jackman or Cate Blanchett (and it might have been their 25th take), their work is supported by technique.

Self trust – how important is it?
To find the balance between the two, actors must do the technique work and teach themselves or have a teacher teach them to let go! An actor must develop trust. Trust is very important. Trust in the preparation and trust in their technique and then let it all go and have trust in their own work during the performance; and not sit on their own shoulder and watch their performance and try to nail it! With the Australian techniques that I teach, the work, the lines, are in the body and I find this technique makes it easier for actors to trust and to let go!

Can all actors trust?
I believe with training every actor can develop self trust. With trust – freedom, spontaneity, confidence and risk taking all begin to happen. Once down this path, actors are much more vulnerable and out in the open. Having their sub text in place and their technique as a foundation helps keep the actor on their journey to discover what they are trying to achieve, and, they are profoundly more watchable as a result!

Let’s explore the other side of the coin.

Having technique and yet acting poorly:
When people do have technique, here are some of the reasons why they don’t do so well:
* Perhaps they have not found the right technique?
* Perhaps they are mixing bits of pieces from many techniques together (this is common in LA)
* Perhaps they are not doing the technique right?
* Perhaps they created what they call their own technique?

Some of the reasons why actors don’t do as well in performance when they have technique are as follows:
* They practiced too much
* They decided how to say the lines, and only one way
* They didn’t listen as well
* They forgot the surprises for their character in the scene
* They forgot the discoveries for their character in the scene
* They didn’t go after what their want as much
* They thought too much about the technique or the backstory
* They were focusing too much on themselves and not on the other person in the scene

Please take notes of these pointers above actors. Because if you do, they will help you develop trust and be able to conduit technique and freedom and creativity in your performances. Of course an acting teacher who knows what they are doing can guide the actor well here.

In the end:
T. Technique. One must have it
R. Respect the craft of acting and don’t be lazy
U. Understand you and your habits and work on your deficiencies
S. Surprise yourself by how much better your work can be with technique
T. Trust that you can have technique and freedom and spontaneity in your work

In closing, in all my years in the Industry, I do not know an actor who has had longevity in the acting field without using technique.

This Blog is interactive. I encourage your comments and questions. So please join the Blog and respond.

Copyright © 2013 Paul Parker – January 2013. No part of this Blog can be printed or reproduced and used without consulting the author first.
Paul Parker (B.Ed)
Acting and Presenter Coach
paul@paulparkerpc.com.au
www.paulparkerpc.com.au

Paul Parker has booked actors onto hundreds of USA film, television, theatre and commercials. He is a qualified teacher with 23 years teaching experience as of 2013. From 2002 to 2011 he was the Artistic Director and head teacher of AIDA – Australian Institute of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles and New York in the USA. Paul has been in the entertainment Industry professionally since 1977.

TOPIC – WANTS.
Also referred to as: subtext, objectives, needs and desires.

Introduction:
This blog will focus on a discussion on “Wants”. The notion and practice of playing wants is not new to actors. Wants derived from the findings and teachings of the grandfather of actor training, ( who also happens to be the conduit of most branches of actor training in the USA ); from the Russian teacher– Konstantin Stanislavski. Playing wants is very prevalent in my teachings.

This blog’s target audience:
Established and working actors who already know what wants / subtext are, and already have experience in acting with them.

Quick background:
From my 23 years of teaching actors I believe playing subtext makes you more watchable. Especially on screen! An audience, predominately sub consciously, makes two decisions: Do I want to watch that actor? Do I believe them? Playing wants / subtext will help the audience sub consciously choose yes they want to watch you and yes they believe you!

I use a Want Sheet with my actors. The wants fall into two categories: you want it from someone of you want to do it to someone. For example:

These above have just been chosen at random.

*Making impact with the work as it could be your audition:
You may only get one audition. You may only do the performance or the audition once. You may only get one chance to perform without notes and direction. You need to make impact. This is your chance.

Because an audience sees an audition piece isolated, you can change the recipient of the piece to make impact. For example, Harold Pinter might say that his character Lenny in The Homecoming play http://www.haroldpinter.org/plays/title_homecoming.shtml is talking to his brother when doing this monologue. However you can choose to do it to his father or recently passed away mother – to make more impact! To raise the stakes for you at performance! No one will know. Consider it.

*Playing subtext leads to discovery. Discovery of how to deliver the lines differently, developing mannerisms and behavior and inevitably your character portrayal:
Acting is all about discovery. If you don’t discover as you are going along, what’s the point? Where’s the challenge? Cate Blanchett said as much when she was on Inside the Actors Studio in NYC a few years ago. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sq7dN04Voyc

Playing subtext leads to discovery if your honor the subtext and really try to achieve it during the scene. The harder it is to achieve the better, as this keeps you working and consequently watchable.

Don’t try to do it right. Play. Enjoy. Discover. I have had lots and lots of experiences, especially with North American actors, who want to do it right and do it right first time. Experience has shown me that this is often due to their copious amounts of classes on cold reading; they want to do it first time and then move on. Where’s the discovery? Where’s the play? Where’s the character creation with this rushing? Enjoy the journey, create the character, create his / her mannerisms and ways of thinking and feeling and moving and talking – and delivery of the characters lines. You will get more enjoyment out of the work, it will be a richer performance, and be more watchable as a result too.

*Use the words of the script to suit the subtext:
This is an area that has projected me to write this Blog today. Many actors that I have worked with are choosing wants and delivering only some of the lines with the subtext in mind. They are either too stuck in delivering their lines a certain way or don’t know how to change the delivery of the lines. Some are often too scared to.

What you must do, as getting the job from a casting director could be dependent on it, is make the adjustment immediately, embrace the new subtext and make it affect the way you deliver the lines: through tone, pacing, pausing, volume, intensity, projection and facial expression, all supporting the subtext.

Many actors do not get the job or a call back or make their best impact, because they cannot make the adjustments. They are shown the door shortly after. Actors are a brilliant group of people. So versatile and flexible and giving in many areas of their lives – so give here – change and use the words to match the subtext. Shakespeare said as much in Hamlets’ speech to the players; “suit the action to the words, the words to the action”. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamlet

Think, how can I change my behavior and the way I deliver the lines to suit the subtext? What would I do in everyday life? Then use that.

*Multiple subtext performances in class or rehearsals helps you discover new things that you can add into your final performance or audition:
When working with a teacher on the different subtext you develop new things. You develop new ways of delivering a certain line that you then like; this could be a gesture, a look, a move, an attitude. The smart actor then takes these pieces that he / she likes from the different sub textual performances, and puts the applicable ones into his / her final performance. Thus giving variety, change and highs and lows, as well as character creation with the text. Hopefully a committed connection with the text too! Explore! Explore! Explore! Explore with multiple subtext and put the bits you like together! Just explore with one want at a time. Otherwise you’ll get confused and appear to be doing too much!

*Deciding where or who the subtext is directed to or if you want it from them:
Make a particular point of concentration that you want to direct your want to if no one else is there. If someone else is there, direct your work at them and go for your want from them or direct it at them and go for your want from them. Sounds easy, but don’t perform with your subtext flying around the space – unless you are playing Hamlet or a similar character. I say this because when I was playing Hamlet in Los Angeles many years ago, I was often performing soliloquys. I consequently performed to chosen points in the space in my characters world.

*Audience wants to watch you:
Initially, an audience, even if it is just one person, wants to watch you. Playing different subtext will change your performance sometimes dramatically, sometimes slightly. Played with freedom and with the focus on discovery and honoring the subtext, will help give that audience entertainment. And that’s what it is all about! Make them want to keep watching you.

*Wants: the nuts and bolts in point form:
- Choose strong wants
– Preferably have the wants separate from the text (wants that are not easy to see in the words of the work)
– Go for your want off or to the other person
– See how far you can go with the want
– Have a teacher or friend or colleague help you to adjust the work to suit the medium of film or TV or stage acting
– Explore, create, have no fear
– Change the way you deliver your lines to suit your change of want
-Change your manner and characters’ idiosyncrasies to suit your want
– Always think “how can I change my behavior and the way I deliver the lines to suit the subtext? What would I do in everyday life?” Then use that.
-Be bold, have strength to be flexible as you explore – this is an example of “risk taking” and “making a strong choice” and these two points are very strong utterances in US training and auditioning for Casting Directors.

*In the end:
Did you know as human beings we play wants all day long! From the time we wake up and want to go to the toilet right up until we decide to switch off the light because our want is to go to sleep. Think about that. Watch people all day and try to guess their wants.

I want to educate my database of Industry professionals with this blog. ☺
This Blog is interactive. I encourage your comments and questions. So please join the Blog and respond.

Copyright © 2013 Paul Parker – January 2013. No part of this Blog can be printed or reproduced and used without consulting the author first.
Paul Parker (B.Ed)
Acting and Presenter Coach
paul@paulparkerpc.com.au
www.paulparkerpc.com.au

Paul Parker has booked actors onto hundreds of USA film, television, theatre and commercials. He is a qualified teacher with 23 years teaching experience as of 2013. From 2002 to 2011 he was the Artistic Director and head teacher of AIDA – Australian Institute of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles and New York in the USA. Paul has been in the entertainment Industry professionally since 1977.