Snow?

So yesterday, Tuesday, we noticed that there was SNOW right outside the school, along the sidewalk! Actually not, it was salt being pored by a film crew to give the impression of snow. The film is called "Going the Distance" and we found out this morning that the actors starring in it include Justin Long (Mac commercials/Live Free or Die Hard) and the one and only Drew Barrymore! Justin Long shot a scene talking on a cell-phone right outside the school, early this morning.

More Pics

(From left to right) Andrew, Geoff, Katie, Lauren, AJ

Pics, Pics, Pics

Unfortunately the school does not allow us to take pictures within the building. No worries, I've got plenty of pictures of the buds to go around.

A New Crew

Not even two weeks in. The timidness is still a bit fresh and the food is still scarce.

However, fate continues to pull me into situations that boost my confidence and my excitement for the film industry. Yesterday, Sunday, Geoff introduced me to John, who's also attending SFT. John's ultimate goal is to become a director, and he's more than serious about it. Geoff, John, AJ and I have decided to form a crew and start using our free time making stories/filming movies. John expresses the concept. Geoff, AJ and I write it. And then, we act...

New York Moments

My First Journal (Actor's Lab 1)

ON USING THE TEXT

It has always astonished me as to how wise actors we see every day on television can make such bold and intelligent decisions. They make the reaction seem so simple and believable. This week, I was shown a short scene from the movie Juno, and in this clip, I was able to dig just a bit deeper into the understanding of how an actor might make a decision for reaction based upon the text.

Paulie (Michael Cera) steps out of his house with the fullest of intentions to go running with his fellow athletes. He is surprised to find Juno (Ellen Page) sitting in a lounge chair on his front lawn. Even more startling, she informs him of her pregnancy and that he is the father.

Instead of an exaggerated and dramatic outburst of worry, Michael Cera made the decision to react quietly… very quietly, and in shock. His following words after this moment of hesitation is simply, “what should we do?” I thought to myself, why did he choose to stay quiet and calm? Why was his reaction so subtle? And then I realized that his reaction was not subtle at all. The reaction was all up in his head, and in his gut (obviously not so visible to the audience).

Now, Paulie is a sixteen year-old boy. Most boys that age are still at quite a low level of immaturity, but his words—the text—suggested otherwise. “What should we do?” Paulie has been presented with a situation that is, to most, considered quite frightening (or at least alarming). His words, what should we do, give reason to a quiet and delayed reaction when Juno announces her pregnancy. At first, he feels the terror in its most raw of forms, and several questions of ‘what if’ could have been passing through his mind. But he knows that this is an adult situation and calls for an adult attitude. He does his best to fight past the shock and stays calm (even if only on the outside), and out of this process of thought, he decides to ask, “What should we do?”

I have not seen Juno before, but this one scene has inspired me to dwell further into the texts or scripts/screenplays I will analyze in the future.

One Week In

The mamma and the papa made their way back home to Houston yesterday morning around 10:00 a.m. The New York lifestyle is growing very rapidly into a simple "home-sweet-home" coziness. Classes have been moving along "swimmingly" and effectively.

In Meisner Technique, we study and explore Sanford Meisner's teachings on acting truthfully through imaginary circumstances. The exercise we have been practicing is dealt between partners. Through repetition of what the other person is saying, we learn to exchange not words, but emotions.

In both movement classes, we challenge our bodies to go beyond the status-quo and bring out the several different possibilities for creating a believable character.

In both voice and speech classes, we learn the proper means of breathing and working our vocals, which will ultimately lead to an expertise of rhythm, pitch, resonance and more.

Actor's Lab is time for studying the teachings of Uta Hagen and Constantin Stanislavski. Our first exercise was to study a simple television script about Heinz Ketchup and practice bringing it to life.

Introduction to the Camera for Actors is a doozy... Our basic homework is to watch films, go see plays, read scripts, and read screenplays. Last night we were given a demonstration of the various roles on a film set, such as camera operators, sound mixer, assistant director and assistant coordinator (and of course the actors themselves).

The only class I have left to be introduced to is Film Genres, where we study... film genres.

All-in-all, life's been pretty great here so far. I guarantee winter's going to suck, but... I've got plenty of hand sanitizer.