Acting : AMA - ask me anything by Zuzana Fort

Just received a question from Terence Klasses (somehow, it does not show here), but this is his query: "I've been recently seriously considering getting back into acting. I have acted on stage and a little on-screen (as well as background years ago). That 'acting itch' won't go away, so I am now looking into classes and eventually auditioning. It's kind of a daunting task to get back into something I thought was over. Any advice and words of wisdom to impart to me?"

My reply is: Acting is kind of like riding a bicycle (though, funnily enough, my mother did forget how to ride a bike and then, after practising for a while, could only turn right - made an interesting way of getting around. But that is another story.) That said, if you have not acted for a while, it is a little like getting back on that bike. You might be a bit wobbly and a bit insecure, and you might even be unsure of the road rules (so to speak), but it is all there. The beauty of performing is that it is never too late to start or re-start. Many great actors had a late start, and some took long hiatus, but they made a dazzling comeback. It is all about passion. If you have that, you can move mountains,

That said, I would recommend reaching out to local drama schools and researching their advanced classes. You can also join some fringe theatre ensembles and dip your foot in the water that way. I also recommend connecting with other actors (perhaps here on Stage 32), getting together and just playing - reading scripts (another great thing about Stage 32 is that many of us here also write, so you can "kill that bird with one stone" and practise your acting and writing craft), doing improvisation, working on scenes and filming them. I recommend getting some private lessons, too, if that is within your budget, just to recap breath and vocal work as well as physicality and characterisation. Finally, if you haven't got one, I'd reach out to agents. What often works is inviting an agent to a show you are appearing in (a free ticket is a must). You should also compile a resume with all your credits, training and achievements and investing in great headshots.

And yes, it is daunting, but if you take it step-by-step and have everything in place, it will all fall into place. Finally, I always say this to myself and my students; have fun. If you have fun, the audience will have fun too. Believe me, it is true. Joy is contagious, and even if you are performing in a dramatic piece, the exultation will shine through. And lastly, commit to it, commit to the role, to the journey, and don't let people sour your happiness and the pursuit of your dream.

Lastly, this is what I say about myself: I may not be a spring chicken, but my age gives me focus, dedication and stubborn determination to succeed. Yes, it can be harder to get into acting when you are a little more mature, but it is never too late. Hope this helps.

Cheers, Zuzi

How are you doing, Zuzana Fort? Thanks for having another AMA. Do you have any tips on outlining scripts? I have a template that I use to outline, but I like to add new things to it that'll help me outline.

Are actors nowadays less able to remember long passages of dialogue, because film has become more visual in the past 30-40 years ?

Hey Zuzi, do you have any tips about writing main character ensembles (Love Actually, Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Cloud Atlas etc.)? I often receive feedback for my ensemble that the reader can't find the one main character - but since it's an ensemble, there isn't one...

Thanks for doing another AMA Zuzi! Do you see crossover between stunt work and traditional acting?In other words, could getting into stunt work lead to traditional acting opportunities (especially if you have training in both areas)?

Zuzi, thanks so much for answering my question. I'm not sure why it didn't show up, I had a strange delay in sending. Anyway I am glad you saw it and you have helped me considerably.

Hi Zuzana Fort! Since this piece is on the acting part of stunt acting - I was curious if when you're doing a role that you share (like stunt performing on a action project where the role is seen on screen as someone as), do you work with the actor at all before production to get in sync on the performance style? how much does that impact your choices?

Hi Maurice Vaughan,

I will try to answer your query. I find that I am rather an organic writer. Perhaps it is the wrong thing to do, but I generally write my script first. That is after I have spent days, weeks or even months ruminating over it, daydreaming through my waking hours. Then, I just put it all down. Usually, it is in the form of a synopsis or a story.

This is followed by hours and hours of thinking about my plot, the different plot twists and my characters and creating their histories and their roles in the plot.

After that, I pour it all out. I just get it all out – dialogue, action, the whole script and then I’ll leave it for a day or two. After a short break, I get back to reading it with fresh eyes - the eyes of an audience.

One thing I always do is know the ending; I believe when you know where you are going you will get there. I find that if you don’t know the end you meander, you take wrong turns, you digress and lose your way. When you have your goal, you have a direction, and you get there in a more engaging and clearer way. That said I always make sure I have a very strong beginning with a strong hook too. As I say to my students, the audiences lose interest really quickly, a couple of seconds or a few paragraphs. I make sure my opening is engaging. I make sure to hook the audience and keep them hooked and reeling them in gently.

I create throughlines and more hooks to keep the spectators entertained and engrossed at all times. I structure the script in a way that makes them active participants. They get inside information to let them in on some of the secrets while I keep a few surprises up my sleeve.

I do follow the three-act rising structure that goes back to my theatrical training. I make sure that have a major climax followed by a believable and satisfying resolution.

I then create a character map. I know how everybody feels about everybody else and what the relationships are within their histories. I track their growth, where they start and when they end up. I create pages of character analyses. I embody each individual character and try and see the story from that perspective. Often, I try and write the story as a short narrative from their point of view.

I use my trusty notepad and my chewed-up pen to jot down anything that pops into my head. I love using paper and pen to highlight parts, put arrows here and there, and create charts and maps and links.

I suppose this sounds like one humongous mess and in a way it is. But it’s my mess and I know how to navigate it.

My first draft is often very long because I include the characters’ emotional state, you could say I write my script for myself as an actor who’d play each role.

And then the hard work begins. I go over it and over it and over it. I look at the beats and I create beats based on what I’ve already got. I use index cards too but generally, I stick to my trusty notebook. The index cards allow me to visually move scenes around. I tend to utilize, or as my kids call it “hog” the entire living room.

I then look at the actions and also the important revelations. I make sure that things that the audiences need to know are revealed in a way that is believable and yet unexpected but in retrospect is the only way it could have gone. I am sure it is the right character who reveals certain information and that the information is provided at the right time.

Finally, I go over it and over it and tighten things up and tighten them even more. Less is more, and in my case, that means a lot of editing and a lot of deleting.

Of course, this is just a rough explanation. My approach changes depending on lots of variables including what is the stimulus for the script. Is it a character? Is it a line of dialogue? Is it a setting? Is it an actual event? The genre, format as well as cast and audience? Am I writing for a specific actor or a certain audience? Everything comes into play.

That said, I believe in characters and stories. Sometimes the characters take over and just insist on being heard. On some occasions, it is the story that takes the lead and just has to be told.

Going over this, it does sound a little crazy but there is a method in my madness. So, I suppose, the advice I could share is this: find what works for you, trust your instinct and revise, revise, revise but listen to your inner voice it generally knows when something does not work.

Hope that helps - a little.

Hi Peter. It is difficult to say whether actors today have lost the ability to memorise lines. It is the nature of film and TV that scripts are divided into short sequences that do not require too much memorisation and yes, film and TV are definitely more visual (particularly now with special effects playing such a huge part). And I agree, older films were definitely more reliant on dialogue. I sometimes think the art of dialogue is disappearing. I love the old B&W films with their witty or intriguing dialogue. They did not have special effects so had to rely more on engaging and fascinating speeches. That said, I think it really depends on the actors and believe that actors with a theatrical background are still as capable as ever to memorise long scripts. I also think the actor's individual approach plays a role and of course the format. A daily TV show probably requires the actor to quickly remember snippets of dialogue and then just as quickly forget them and move on. I suppose, there have always been actors with great memories and actors with sluggish memories, actors with lots of discipline and those who were prone to winging it, actors who are brilliant at ad-libbing and improvisation and are expected to do both and actors who are sticklers for accuracy and dependence on the written word. It is simply very individual.

Thanks for the very detailed answer, Zuzana Fort. I'm sure it'll help because I like to try different methods when outlining and writing scripts.

"Perhaps it is the wrong thing to do, but I generally write my script first. That is after I have spent days, weeks or even months ruminating over it, daydreaming through my waking hours." It sounds like you outline, but you do it away from the computer and notepad. :)

Hey Criag, apologies for the delay in responding, my trusty laptop died... It had a good life, 13 years and it was time to let it go... Funnily enough, it had far larger storage and memory than any of the latest ones... Now to your question: I too have found myself in the same boat. My revenge thriller was written as an ensemble piece, every character had a vital role in moving the story forward, and each role was that piece of the puzzle that created the entire picture. I lived each of the characters' lives, I specifically did not want a star vehicle. It was initially conceived as a stage script and there you can get away with ensemble pieces. I too received the same feedback, and truth be told I now see the value of it. It does not ask you to get rid of all your characters, but the audiences do need one that they identify with... at least at the beginning. Ask yourself, who was the instigator of the story? Whose voice do you hear the most when you create? Which one do you identify with the most and which one would you want to play? If you could have one great actor playing one of the roles, which one would you choose (which actor and which role)? ... I think you don't need to rewrite the entire script; I generally choose one character that works as the eyes of the audience. Since I am an actor, I usually go with the one character I'd want to play. Perhaps it is a tad self-indulgent, but I think it makes the character's voice more authentic.

In my case, (with the thriller), I actually ended up cutting a few characters (it also improves your chances from a budgeting point of view). At first, it was a daunting task. I was obviously fond of them all, but I realised that in a way, they were all part of me (in the narrative they represented different stages of grieving and coping with trauma). I realised; I could merge some of the parts so in a way they are still present in the story.

Even though I had to cut a great number of scenes that I thought were vital, I suddenly found better ways, more singular, more engaging paths and I found a fresh excitement for my project.

I don’t know if this helps you or not, but I hope so. I would say, as I have said before, trust your inner voice. Ask yourself why you wanted all those individuals to be in the story. What makes them essential to it? If you find some that are there perhaps to reflect on another character or some that are just a “prop” for someone or something, then I’d say get rid of them. If, however, you realise they all need to be there, that each is an essential part of the overall structure and it would crumble without them, then keep them. You know your story better than anyone else. Get another reader or two… What I would recommend, which worked well for me, is to lead off with one character. Don’t overwhelm the audience with too much information. They might assume that is the lead and get invested in your film that way. Eventually, as you bring in the other characters, the viewers will be familiar with the plot and will eagerly embrace your other cast members. Sometimes, you can change the lead a few times (carefully, it could backfire, happened to me but it also worked on other occasions). You can have the story piggyback on the different characters, getting their point of view. Ultimately, there should be a resolution and growth, if those are missing the audience will definitely leave unfulfilled, but I would not underestimate my viewers thinking they cannot be invested in an ensemble of fantastic characters, as long as you introduce them progressively.

Hi Sam, that is a great question and very relevant now, with so many of us donning multiple hats. The answer is not quite so simple. I do believe in being as versatile as possible and gaining as many relevant skills and accreditations as possible. I honestly believe this can open many doors, or windows, if necessary, to get that proverbial foot in the door… or on the windowpane. With stunts though you must be a little more careful, or tactical. There are of course many cases of stunt performers getting into traditional acting (I believe, if memory serves me, my favourite actor, Jackie Chang started as a stunt performer in a Bruce Lee movie).

Stunt work can absolutely get you on set, it can help you get into the industry and network effectively. You gain amazing experience that casting directors and directors will look at favourably. They might choose someone with that knowledge over someone uninitiated. There are often opportunities that pop up out of the blue, they may not even be in the original script. One recent example is a friend of mine who was working as a stunt actor on Fall Guy. During the shooting, Ryan Gosling turned to my friend and asked him to deliver some lines. As simple as that. Naturally, my friend is not yet an actor, but he will now be credited as one and it may lead to other opportunities, should my friend choose to pursue the acting path. Another Czech stunt actor Petr Jakl ended up becoming an actor and is now a producer. He works with actors including Michael Cain, De Niro and Malkovich. That said, there are certain things, rules if you will, that you should follow. You should have an acting agent because a stunt agent (if you have one) will push you into stunt work even when it may be detrimental to your acting career. How? Well, many casting directors and many directors are reluctant to use you as an actor if you have performed stunts on the show before. They don’t want to risk you being recognised. I always suggest researching the shows and the different casting directors and directors and what they prefer. Just this year, after consulting with my acting agent, I had to go through my resume and take out stunt work on shows that are currently running on TV. We left the shows that are no longer in production and film work, but we removed anything that is being cast.

Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule and some directors will specifically ask for you knowing you have great physical abilities and knowledge of working on set. To sum up, yes stunt acting can lead to acting work – if the stars align and you work on your skills and your network.

Great question, Emily.

Whether I work with an actor that I am doubling on or not, really depends on the actor that I am doubling. There are times when the actor is not on set and that obviously affects my performance. I do try and research the actor, so I have a rough idea of the way they move and what style of acting they have. Sometimes, I watch other movies they are in and if possible, movies that are similar.

Sometimes, depending on the production as well as the director and stunt coordinator, it is possible to watch the dailies with the actor and observe their performance and movement style. Sometimes, the stunt coordinator discusses the stunt with the actor, and they film a rehearsal for me. For example, recently I was doubling an actress who had to fall. She performed the fall but without the height and with a crash mat, the coordinator filmed it to show me just how she started the fall and the way she landed. I was lucky because on the day she was also on set and was very open to chatting with me and we went over the stunt. We also briefly discussed where in the film chronology the scene takes place and what is the character’s state of mind and physical condition. We also reviewed my landing, so she could then follow through and match her close-up reactions and body positioning to mine.

So, yes, whenever possible I do try and have a quick chat with the actor that I’m doubling. Many of them are super nice and willing to talk to you and give you an idea of their character and their take on the scene. Some even approach you and ask you for advice in terms of their own performance and how they should move because ultimately if you are performing a stunt they will have to step into that role for close-ups or cutaways after the stunt is done.

At all times I try to be on set before my stunt to watch the actor I am doubling and see how they moved in the scene so that I could then imitate them with clarity and truthfulness. I often do this even when I am not doubling an actor, even if I am performing a stunt (perhaps I am a pedestrian who gets knocked down and falls down a flight of stairs) it helps to watch the scene unfold and the production and the overall style. It also helps the actors so they know what is coming or how they should react.

There were also times when I had to teach the actor how I land or how I fight in the scene so that they are safe and can follow through with the action in the scene. As for my choices, the actor guides my choices, in simple terms if the actor is left-handed then I need to ensure my actions reflect that, if they lead with their hips I need to lead with my hips and so on.

I’ve been lucky that whenever I’ve been on set the actors that I was doubling were very nice and happy to discuss the role and the scene. Ultimately, we both want the same thing, to create an illusion that is believable and that stimulates the audience.