Acting

You're right, Ray Watters. Some people let age hold them back, but it shouldn't. And some people listen to others when they say "you're too old to act (or write, direct, etc.)." They shouldn't. Your post and blog make me wanna write a script about it.

I love it! Write it!

I already have part of an idea for the script, Ray Watters. Thanks.

Hi, Morgan Aitken Ipg. Stage 32 has a webinar called "Voice Acting 101: What You Need to Know to Get Started" (www.stage32.com/education/products/voice-acting-101-what-you-need-to-kno...). One of the things Van Gunter covers is "Preparing Your Voice."

Try spacing your speech into uneven rhythms, pauses, some faster, some slower, and find the key word to hit. Sentences follow a melodic pattern that arcs high pitch 2/3 of the way through and drops to the end.

Matthew thank you for laying out this important distinction. Misclassifying performers as independent contractors can leave them without the protections and benefits they deserve and it also exposes producers to penalties for failing to follow tax and labor laws. In my experience productions run more smoothly when everyone is clear about their responsibilities and rights and when cast and crew are treated as employees when the production exercises control over their schedule and performance. It is worth consulting a qualified entertainment attorney or accountant when drafting agreements to make sure they comply with federal and state regulations.

Eric Charran I was offered a "contract". I had legal insurance but cancelled it when I realized ChatGPT can do a better job. I uploaded the contract and several red flags were indicated, including the misclassification. I discussed with my Chat (Elliot) how I was feeling about the offer, and he wrote a polite decline email which I sent to production.

Matthew, that was a smart move. In my experience both as a writer and producer never underestimate the value of reading every clause and understanding the implications. Early in my career I saw friends take on projects under contractor terms that offered little protection or recognition. It is always better to walk away than to be locked into a bad deal. It is encouraging to hear you used AI tools and your own judgement to spot the misclassification and responded respectfully. This kind of diligence builds a reputation for professionalism and helps push the industry toward better practices.

That's great advice Matthew Gross

Hey, Raveness Thorne. Stage 32 has Acting Blogs and Acting Education I suggest checking out.

Acting Blogs: www.stage32.com/blog/tags/acting-9

Acting Education: www.stage32.com/education/search?term=Acting

You could check the Job Board for acting opportunities (www.stage32.com/find-jobs). It gets updated regularly.

Hi Raveness Thorne I encourage you to scroll through this lounge. Your question has been asked and answered previously (more than once) so a lot of suggestions have been made. Also, there are a lot of great conversations here; not just about your question specifically, but about acting in general and acting as business. A couple of members also have You Tube channels you can watch for free, there are books recommended as well.

Don't be afraid to jump in and ask questions on those posts. Happy Scrolling!

Hi Raveness, there are few things to do that might help. Join a local theater or playhouse and volunteer or become a member. Bring your writing, see if they will do reads and such. That's stepping into the local community. Ask the local acting schools if you can audit. Even if you cannot afford a class, you can hear the notes given to the students there, and get a sense of what classes can bring you - what to prepare for. Ask the instructors and the other actors what they recommend you do until you can afford classes, there may be more community opportunities. Do you know actors in your area, or those who you enjoyed working with in the high school theater classes? Get with them and read through some scenes, work the scenes, memorize other scripts/scenes and act them out with friends. That is like some people kicking around the soccer ball to improve on their soccer skills. Read acting books as well as books about actors you relate too, and watch a lot of tv and movies. A lot. Pay attention to the actors in those scenes - are they good, believable, or were they off balance? Become a critic - both positive and bad. Then see if those actors have interviews online where they discuss those scenes, or at least those shows and movies. There are endless youtubes that interview actors on how they started, on how they afforded some classes, on what it takes to act. What did they do to crate a network of community pals that just had fun making scenes and movies? No money is a good thing sometimes. Actors know it, especially beginners. Start with those. BTW, you acted in high school and want to pursue more acting lessons and experiences --- so, "you are an actor." Actors are now your peers. Find a mentor and be a mentor. And have fun.

Acting is easy love I act out all my scripts....lets get in contact!

Tim Morell I fully trust that you will find the right path. I look forward to seeing the film one day. Getting inspired by a singer and songs sounds like a very resourceful and effective way in.

Thanks, Alexandra, but I wouldn't hold my breath on that. The real miracle will be sitting down and actually writing it, so having someone make it seems like an even bigger leap of faith.

Tim Morell what's getting in the way of you sitting down and writing it?

Inertia mostly, and the odd paradox that, while I consider myself to be a pretty good screenwriter, I have never really thought of myself as a WRITER, but rather as someone who can write a little. Which is to say, I see it as something I can do, but not necessarily something I am. So, when the mood strikes, I can sit down and tackle something and usually do a decent job of it, but it takes a lot to motivate me. This idea has kind of gotten my attention though, so I'm hoping it will be one that I'll be able to pick up the gauntlet on since, as I mentioned in another post, the challenge for me is always to see if I can do something interesting, that will live up to my perception of its potential.

Tim Morell well certainly your post has got a lot of interest here so that is a good sign for potential

Congratulations on making the bold move, Suzanne Bronson! I used to be a lurker on Stage 32. After RB gave the community a challenge to be more active, I started being a lot more active. I've had a lot of success on here since. Meeting people, learning about different areas of the industry, getting script requests, paid jobs, and more.

That's great Maurice Vaughan see my comment to RB's blog. Similar to what you just said.

Suzanne Bronson I know the money is on its way to you! For me, it is deciding to get back to acting classes in January to continue my training at a time when time-wise it is really not practical due to my two young kids. However I realise that I need to honour it no matter what if I want something to come of it and also because it has brought me joy so i need to honour the joy too.

Hi, Suzanne Bronson. I've always done what I loved on the side while completing a 42-year career as a clinical social worker. I wrote for myself, poetry for self-therapy, short stories here and there, and I had a monthly feature article in a regional magazine for a few years. I finished my first novel by accident, kind of, when I stumbled onto writing from first person which seems to work for me. I started screenwriting last year and retired from social work in 2023. Now, I do what I love as often as I can which us usually several hours a day on most days. I, too, am still waiting on the money but I declared writing as my retirement career and I plan to do it as long as my fingers will move. Maybe with voice recognition after that. A former coworker came to one of my book signings and told me that I look younger than I did when I was working. I attribute that to two things, less stress, and doing what I love. I think a more accurate statement might be, do what you love and the happiness will follow. If money comes, that's wonderful. If it doesn't we are fulfilling our passion, and perhaps our destiny. Blessings!

Self tapes can feel awkward at first but they offer a chance to take control of your performance. Treat them as mini rehearsal sessions rather than mere obligations. Invest time in good lighting and sound, read the script thoroughly and make strong choices. Over time they become an asset because you get to shape your best take.

https://youtu.be/m5GiZE5d2UA I created thus and it took 8 months!! OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED FOR ACTORS What You Can Do with MyAuditionAI: • Analyze your audition video for acting and receive professional feedback from Meissner, Adler, Stanislawski, … And more • Rehearse scenes using the built-in acting coachs • Use a teleprompter for clean, confident line delivery, WITH READERS! • Evaluate your headshots with industry-powered insights. • Record and edit your actors audition tapes • Improve your performance and technical quality with the video performance analyzer. And so much more in this Actors Toolbox ! Built by ACTOR for actors!

https://youtu.be/m5GiZE5d2UA I created thus and it took 8 months!! OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED FOR ACTORS What You Can Do with MyAuditionAI: • Analyze your audition video for acting and receive professional feedback from Meissner, Adler, Stanislawski, … And more • Rehearse scenes using the built-in acting coachs • Use a teleprompter for clean, confident line delivery, WITH READERS! • Evaluate your headshots with industry-powered insights. • Record and edit your actors audition tapes • Improve your performance and technical quality with the video performance analyzer. And so much more in this Actors Toolbox ! Built by ACTOR for actors!

Will Roberts what an innovative idea? How did you come up with it ?

I've never looked up my IMDB ranking. I don't care. It seems silly to me, to put weight on something one has to pay for. I have credits yes, but I do not pay for my own page. Your post Dan Martin Roesch is a good reminder that it's all manufactured and means nothing as far as landing a role.

I've never used IMDB. Don't really have the credits for it to really count right now. I love the point about how the business remembers authenticity and emotional truth more than analytics. I think if I didn't stay true to the stories I want to tell as an artist, I would feel like the art was becoming fake and I wouldn't be telling the stories that I enjoy or the stories that make me feel most alive.

Hi Haley Mary,

thank you for sharing that — it’s beautifully said.

And honestly, I think your approach is exactly what keeps this industry human. IMDb, analytics, rankings… they’re all just numbers. They can help with visibility, sure, but they’ll never replace authenticity or the emotional truth behind an artist’s work.

What you said about staying true to the stories you want to tell really resonated with me. That’s the heart of it, isn’t it? If we lose that, the craft becomes hollow — but if we protect it, it stays alive, raw, and meaningful.

Credits will come in their own time.

But the voice, the honesty, the intention you’re speaking from… that’s already real artistry.

Thanks for adding such a grounded and honest perspective.

Feels good to be in a community where people still care about the soul of the work.

Warmly,

Dan

The other issue with IMDB and why I never used it, is that id doesn't include theater credits. I have way more stage credits than film/tv credits.

Hi Dan! Glad it resonated! Yeah, I'd rather tell stories that I can connect with that makes me feel alive, real and honest. That's also why I love writing my own stand up comedy for open mic nights. I can connect to something I have written more than anything that I've read in a monologue book. I came across some monologue books at a library this summer and thought I'd look through them and see if any resonated with me, but I ended up not resonating with any of the monologues and I can connect more with my own stories.

I love the rain, Brittany Christine! A few of my favorites are Jurassic Park, The Matrix, and Hurricane Heist.

Rainy days call for bourbon and Dateline. For fictional, it's a good time to watch any M. Night Shyamalan movies. Particularly, THE SIXTH SENSE and UNBREAKABLE Trilogy.

I have to agree with Maurice on the Jurassic Park movie being great for a rainy day. In Canada, we also get some smoke during the summers, so they're good for those smoky days when you're stuck indoors, too. My other faves are adventure movies or disaster movies. Jumanji, San Andreas are good as well as action movies such as the Jack Reacher movies, the Bourne movies and the Hunger Games movies.

I just put that in my wish list Maurice Vaughan (How to Pitch Your Dream Project with You as the Star). I'm actually hoping to play the main character in "The Book of Jon: A Blade of Saints & Angels".

Hope you get the role, Leonardo Ramirez 2! I'm looking forward to seeing The Book of Jon: A Blade of Saints & Angels!

Maurice Vaughan Thanks my friend!

You're welcome, Leonardo Ramirez 2.

What about one on Creating A Demo Reel? That question gets asked a lot here.